Weird Homes Tour – Portland

Walk through the tree-lined streets of Sellwood in Southeast Portland and you may stumble into an unassuming, but beautiful, house from the 1870s that used to be the corner grocery store. Gone are the days of bread and vegetables, now the historic building is home to fairies and pandas; kings and queens; Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz.

Steven Overton created the magical Olde World Puppet Museum to house his collection of more than 2,000 puppets and to provide a place for people to enjoy this “illusion of life.” The small space comes to life through Overton’s love of the art and his 50-years of experience designing and curating hand, rod, string and shadow puppets.

The main floor is chock-a-block full of puppets. In the upstairs apartment Overton sells everything you might need to create a beautiful little world of your own. In the backyard people gather to enjoy live theater. Step into this neighborhood home and you’ll be transported into a brilliant world fueled by imagination and creativity.